


The Price to Pay to Protect the Ones You Love

by bekdebek



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Big Updates, Eventual Happy Ending, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Smut, Stockholm Syndrome, Triggers, klance, rapist lotor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-05-30 01:15:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15085814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bekdebek/pseuds/bekdebek
Summary: Lance gives himself up to protect the team, but Lotor has much darker things in mind for him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 10th Voltron fic everyone! Thank you, everyone, who follows all my fics and my Ifunny blog. I wouldn't make this without your support. 
> 
> This fic is very dark but in a psychological way. I did research on Stockholm syndrome and abusive relationships and boom, this fic was born. 
> 
> There is no actual rape but there are lots of rapey vibes, so please stop reading if you're easily triggered.

"What's your choice blue paladin?" The scheming prince questioned 

 

Lance looked around the room. Keith was holding up Shiro, and Pidge was holding up Hunk. They were all bested and battered. He had been struck with a proposal. 

 

Leave his team and they would spare all their lives, or stay and Lotor would finish them off. Suddenly Lance concluded a plan, but how would he convey it to the team? Spanish. Pidge was almost fluent in lots of languages, Spanish being one of them.

 

"Voy encubierto," he said looking to Pidge.

 

She nodded and then winced as Lotor kicked him to the ground. 

 

"What did you say to her?" He spat.

 

"Goodbye," Lance said lying on the ground. 

 

"Oh, so you've made your decision?" He cooed.

 

"Yes, I'll come with you."

 

"Lance no!" Shiro shouted. "We'll find another way, we're always stronger together!"

 

"Don't do it!" Keith shouted too.

 

"Lance..." Hunk muffled a sob.

 

"Allura can pilot the blue lion, you'll be fine without me." 

 

Pidge knew what he was doing, making a false front, but she knew the truth that hid behind the lie.

 

"We'll find you!" Pidge called out.

 

He reached for his Bayard but Lotor stepped on his hand. "I'll be taking that, thank you." He attached it to his hip and grabbed Lance's wrist. "Come on now." 

 

Lance got up slowly as he was pulled along by Lotor. "Oh, and one more thing, while your teammates are watching." He pulled Lance into a kiss, he bit on Lance's lower lip drawing blood.

 

"Stop it!" Keith shouted, rage burning in his chest. He leaned Shiro against the wall and jumped to his feet. He was struck down one of Zarkons druids.

 

"Keith no! I'll be ok." Lance choked out. "Don't hurt him." He spat at Lotor. 

 

"I would if they would stop resisting." 

 

Keith jumped back up again but was knocked back down. This time he could barely get up.

 

"Let's go," Lance said sadly following Lotor.

 

"What a good pet you are." He traced Lance's cheekbone and scratched him drawing blood again. Lance looked behind him at his team and smiled as the doors to the ship shut.

 

They were gone. 

 

"Not again," Shiro said looking at his hands. "Dammit not again." 

 

"He just left." Hunk cried.

 

"Pidge what did he say to you?" Keith asked painfully getting on his feet.

 

"I'm going undercover." 

 

"What really?" Keith asked. "So he does have a plan." 

 

"We need to trust him," Pidge confirmed.

 

"What's happening down there?" Allura shouted over the radio.

 

"Lance gave himself up:" Hunk sighed

 

"Everyone back to your lions. Let's see if we can track that ship." 

 

"If you're talking about the ship that just left, it's gone," Coran mentioned.

 

They all groaned and headed back to the ship.

***

 

"Ddddo I hahahave to be naked? It's freezing in here." 

 

"We have to make sure you didn't hide anything in your suit. I see a love mark as well. Who gave that to you?" Lotor said pacing around him.

 

Lance looked at his collarbone to see where Keith has kissed him.

 

"Nnnnot telteltelling can I wear clclclothes now?" 

 

"Very well." He handed his very skimpy clothes. He held it up. It looked like Arabian lingerie.

 

"Rrrreally?" Lance sighed.

 

"It's this or nothing, I even made it your favorite color."

 

"Bbblue I gggot that." He pulled on the shirt. Of course, it was a crop top. But at least it had long sleeves. The pants were also long but mostly see through. "What's this?" He held up a slightly see-through fabric. 

 

"It's a veil, it goes over your mouth." 

 

"Do I have to wear it?” Lance complained. 

 

"Oh, I see you don't want our mouths to be apart." He leaned in for a kiss and Lance quickly pulled the veil over his mouth. Lotor backhanded Lance and grabbed his face saying "you will obey me!"

 

Lance decided to choose his battles and nodded. "Good, come with me"

 

Lance followed until he saw a big chair in front of a large screen. "You're going to sit here." He pointed to a metal loop next to the chair. Lance sat down next to the chair as Lotor chained him loosely to it. "I'm giving it enough slack so you can sit on the chair with me.

 

Lance sat on the floor instead. 

 

"You sit with me if you want to eat!" 

 

Lance wasn't that hungry yet so he stayed on the floor.

 

Lotor kicked him in the shin and sat down on the throne. He got on the computer and began typing and looking at files.

 

"I guess he has to do actual work sometimes." Lance thought to himself. He looked at the screen. It was in Galran.

_ Shit, I can’t read Galran. _

 

"Do you have any books that teach Galran?" Lance asked.

 

Lotor swiveled around in his chair. "Why do you ask?" 

 

"Well if I'm going to be here forever I might as well know your language."

 

"Very well, I could dig up my books from my childhood. Speaking of forever, drink this." He pulled out a mysterious yellow liquid and poured it into a cup. 

 

"I don't want to drink that," Lance said scooting backward.

 

"I don't care what you want, drink it." 

 

Lance shook his head. Lotor let out an annoyed sigh and grabbed Lance by his throat. Lance grabbed Lotor's hands panicking at how hard it was to breathe. He released his neck and as Lance took deep breaths he poured the liquid down his throat. He was forced to swallow it and breath some of it in. 

 

"What was that!" He yelled coughing. He felt a warm sensation rising in his stomach.

 

_ Did I just get roofied? _

 

"That is was quintessence, you have me forever now, or at least the next thousand years.” 

 

_ What the hell did I sign up for. _

 

Lance felt his face and winced.

 

"Do as I say and you won't be hurt anymore. In a few hours your face with heal right up. But before it does let's see your friends."

 

Lance sat on the floor at the computer as Lotor searched for the castle.

 

"Lotor!" Allura shouted. "Give us back Lance!" 

 

"Oh but we're having so much fun." He pulled up on Lances chain forcing him to his feet. 

 

"Lance!" Hunk shouted.

 

"What are you making him wear?" Pidge asked. 

 

"I think he looks cute, come sit over here pet." 

 

Lance didn't move and simply looked down. Lotor grabbed the nearest item and struck Lance in the stomach. He keeled over and fell to his knees. "I _ said  _ come over here." 

 

Lance decided, yet again, now was the time to pick his battles, he sat on Lotor's lap.

 

"He can be taught." Lance looked up to see the scowls of his the faces of his teammates. He gave a quick wink to show that he was in control. Everyone looked confused but Pidge nodded.

 

"I'll return him to you if you hand over Voltron to me," he laughed. "There's some food for thought, I want my answer by the end of the month, or things won't end well for your friend." He ended the transmission.

 

***

"Galran is super similar to Japanese." Lance said to himself studying the book. He was laying on his back on Lotor’s couch 

 

"What's Japanese?" Lotor asked eavesdropping.

 

"It's a language on earth." 

 

"You have more than one language on earth?" 

 

"Yeah, tons of languages."

 

"Thousands of years ago space travelers, traveled the world spreading their language. It is now spoken by almost all galaxies."

 

"English?"

 

"Is that what earthlings call it?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"I see, it's quite strange not all of your planet has accepted such a widely known language." 

 

He returned to his screen and typed away. Lance had been studying his ass off the last week, so he could get the gist of what he was saying. He was talking to a general, about their next attack. It looked like it was going to be crushing an uprising on a planet called Ginga. 

 

"I'll unchain you from the floor if you agree to sleep in my room."

 

Lance shook his head and stayed still. 

 

He backhanded him again. This time hard enough to knock him over.

 

"You'll learn to crave my touch." He stormed off shutting the light off behind him.

 

"Great, now it's dark and my face hurts." Lance sighed. He sat on the throne and turned on the computer. With the sparse Galran he knew, he somehow figured out how to go to previous transmissions. 

 

"Castle of Altea! There it is! It's probably too risky to send a message, so I'll try to do a video line." He selected the call button and paused as it connected.

 

"What do you want now Lotor, Lance!!" Allura cried out.

 

"Shhhh you'll give me away!" Lance whispered.

 

"Lance is that you? I can barely see you." 

Hunk added standing behind the princess.

 

"Lance, how are you holding up?" Shiro asked.

 

"I'm fine,” Lance lied. “Don't worry about me. More importantly, they're going to attack a planet called Ginga."

 

"Do you know when?" Allura asked.

 

"I can't read times yet."

 

"Read? Like In Galran?" Hunk questioned.

 

"Yeah, I've been reading a kids book." 

 

"Lotor's children book?" Allura asked surprised. "Why would he have given that to you?" 

 

"I'm not sure, but one more thing,"

 

"What is it, are you hurt?" Keith asked concerned.

 

"I may or may not have drank/inhaled quintessence, and now I'm immortal?"

 

"What?!" They all said in unison.

 

"You drank quintessence?" Pidge asked. "How are you feeling?" 

 

"My stomach is really warm, But all my wounds are healing way faster."

 

"Back to the immortal part." Keith added. "How do you know you're immortal?"

 

"Lotor said I could last another thousand years."

 

Everyone was silent and looked at each other. "I don't think he's going to kill you even after the month is up." Pidge said matter of factly.

 

"Why?" Keith asked. 

 

"Why would he give him another thousand years on his life if he didn't want him around."

 

"So I'm going to be with this creep the rest of my life?!" 

 

"Of course not." Shiro said softly. "We'll come for you."

 

"Ok... don't make it obvious I told you where he's going to be," Lance pleaded. "I have to go." 

 

"Wait, Lance!" Pidge shouted.

 

He shut down the communications.

  
  


***

 

“Are you hungry?” Lotor asked walking into the room. 

 

Lance had barely slept, he really needed a bed, and a blanket. 

He wanted to ask for food but was scared of what it would cost him. 

 

“Don’t look so scared, if you do everything I say, you’ll be safe from harm.” 

 

“Safe from harm? Or safe from you?” 

 

Lotor scowled. “I would never hurt you, if you were obedient.” 

 

Lance tucked his head into his knees bracing for a beating. 

 

Lotor kneeled next to Lance, and pulled his chin up. 

 

Lance closed his eyes, tears slipping down his cheeks. 

 

“Why the tears? I’ll see to it you’re happy here.”

 

Lance broke down sobbing. Lotor wrapped him up in a hug.

 

He was warm, smelled like a campfire. Lance wondered if that was a Lotor thing or a Galra thing. He calmed down, and sniveled a little. 

 

Lotor pulled back and wiped off his face. 

 

“Let’s get you some food, that’ll make you feel better.” 

 

Lance couldn't help but smile, he was starving and severely dehydrated. Lotor looked at him a smiled sweetly, surprising Lance again. "I even have some sweet cream you can drink." Lance's mouth watered at the thought.

 

Lotor chuckled as he prepared the plate of food for Lance. He pulled on his chains trying to get closer to the food smell. 

 

"Here you go kitten." He set the plate in front of him. It seemed to be mostly dull colored meat, but there was a cup of pink cream, and what looked like a loaf of bread. He chowed down immediately, his chains were very much in his way, but he didn't care.

 

"Slow down, you're going to choke." Lotor said leaning against the wall. "Here let me unchain you." 

 

Lance held his arms out and sighed relieved when the heavy chains were taken off. He immediately went back to eating. It was beyond delicious. The meat just fell apart in your mouth, the bread was flakey, the cream was thick and sweet. But just as fast it went down, it came right back up. Lotor patted his back and held a can next to Lance as he heaved. 

 

"Next time, how about we eat less... heavy food."

 

Lance nodded in agreement. He waited for the chains to be put back on his wrists, but his hopes came true. 

 

"You must be wondering why I unchained you?" 

 

Lance looked at Lotor but said nothing. 

 

"You've learned your lesson, you won't leave me."

 

Lance looked down, not a single retort came to mind. Maybe he was right? Maybe he was never going to leave him. 

 

Maybe he was never going home.

 

****

 

Lance had figured out Galran pretty well and had started reading more advanced books. Something a grade school Galra would read. 

 

“Oh I adore that book,” Lotor said looking over Lance’s shoulder. 

 

“Why? It’s boring.” 

 

“You think war conquest is boring?” 

 

“Not the fighting part, but the planning and speeches, blah.” 

 

Lotor laughed. “You were made for softer things than war.” 

 

Lance scowled but he was right. He was never cut out for this. 

 

“You don’t have to worry about the war anymore, simply be with me in peace.” 

 

“But you’ll take over the universe!” 

 

“Unlike my father, I want a peaceful existence.”

 

“Bullshit.” 

 

Lotor slapped Lance as hard as he could. 

 

“You think you know me?!” 

 

Lance held his face, crumpled on the ground. 

 

“I am capable of peace! I let the places I conquer rule themselves, I only kill when necessary. I will defeat my father and take the crown, with you beside me.” 

 

Lance stayed quiet, plotting his escape. 

 

Lotor walked over and stroked his cheek. “I’m sorry for hitting you love, I’ll go get you something sweet.” 

 

Lotor left for the kitchen and Lance resumed reading his book. He tasted the blood in his mouth and frowned.

 

This was his life now. 

 

“I found some frozen cream, do you want some?” 

 

Lance nodded not looking up from his book. 

 

Lotor left him a bowl and ruffled his hair affectionately. He held Lance’s bruised cheek and sighed. “Let me get you some ice.” 

 

Lance didn’t fight the kiss Lotor stole from him. He grimaced as Lotor’s tongue entered his mouth. 

 

But he didn’t fight it, any of it. 

 

That night he lay on the floor, with no blanket, looking around for an exit, and seeing none. 

 

He gave up. 

 

***

  
  
  
  


“Having trouble sleeping love?” Lotor asked. 

 

“Yeah.” Lance yawned. He had been sleeping on the cold floor with no blanket. Doesn’t make for good sleeping.

 

“Why don’t you rest in my room?” 

 

Lance scowled. _Sounds like a bad idea._

 

“I have a lot of work to do, you’ll be alone.” 

 

Lance thought about it for a second. What worse thing could happen than he’s already gone through? He needed sleep. 

 

“Ok.” 

 

“Follow me love.” Lotor grabbed his hand and let him into a nearby room. 

 

His bed was huge, and soft, with lots of luxurious blankets. He couldn’t help but run and jump into bed.

 

Lotor chuckled and looked at him fondly. “Sleep well, I’ll be back in a while.” 

 

His eyelids got heavier and heavier as he nodded asleep.

 

Now he hadn’t drempt in a while. This time, however, he did. He envisioned the team all watching a movie together. The movie was the video his mother had played a thousand times. Lance was starring as Pinocchio. He was about eleven, and was missing a few teeth. He was the only person of color on that stage, but he didn’t seem to mind.

 

Lance was shook from his pleasant dream when he felt Lotor pull him up. He looked around startled, exhausted. "What?" He looked up at Lotor lording over him grinning. 

 

"How was your rest?" 

 

"Not long enough." 

 

"Oh, but you've been sleeping for days. "

 

"Days?!" 

 

"You'll be happy to hear your friends foiled my latest attempt at a colony and are now RUINING all my hard work!!" He grabbed the nearest object and threw it across the room. He grabbed Lance by the throat, this time hard enough he couldn't breath at all. He pushed at his face gasping for breath. As he started to lose consciousness Lotor dropped him to the ground. Lance coughed and took deep breaths desperately. Lotor forced him into a kiss. Lance wanted to throw up. He bit his bottom lip again splitting it down the middle. 

 

"I love the taste of blood." He said licking his lips. "Would you like to see your friends again?"

 

*** 

"Good work team." Shiro congratulated everyone as he headed to the center of the castle.

 

"Allura you were killing it!" Pidge said patting her on the back.

 

"Thank you Pidge, though I feel like Lance could have done a better job." 

 

Silence.

 

It had been about a month since his kidnapping, and with his help, they were able to find every colony in this entire galaxy. They set out to free them all.

 

“A transmission is coming!” Allura cheered. 

 

They all gathered around the screen and waited for Lance’s face to show. 

 

“Hello, Paladins.” Lotor said laughing. 

 

All eyes went to Lance. He was looking down, no wink, he was defeated. He had bruises on his neck and a bloody lip. 

 

“I’m afraid your time is up.” 

 

Lance looked up, fear in his eyes. 

 

“You lost your chance, Lance and I will conquer the galaxy together. You don’t deserve him like I do.” 

 

“Wait!” Keith shouted. 

 

Lotor ended the transmission. 

 

Lance was relieved he wasn’t going to kill him but wondered if he was ever going to leave. 

 

“Let’s go to bed.” Lotor said pulling Lance to his feet. 

 

Lance let himself be led to the bedroom. Lotor pulled off the covers and pulled him in, leaving kisses and bites on his nape. Lance was scared it was going to go farther, but he fell asleep quickly, arm wrapped around Lance’s waist. 

 

Lance could hear Blue calling to him, but he didn’t want her to be captured... no, he would rather he die than her get caught. 

 

He lay awake when he heard someone walking. 

 

He peeled off Lotor’s arm and crept down the hall. He spotted the door leading to the rest of the ship, open. 

 

This was his chance. 

 

He snuck to the door and was about to step past it when he faltered. 

 

_ This isn’t a good idea. _

 

_ Why not? _

 

Lance couldn’t put his finger on it. Even if he got out, he didn’t know where he was. He didn’t know if he could get Blue to rescue him. 

 

There was so much he didn’t know. 

 

Was it really so bad here? He had plenty of food, he was learning a lot from Lotor’s books, maybe he could stop Lotor from bring a dictator. 

 

Maybe he could do more good here than with Voltron. 

 

He decided he would think about it and crawled back to bed with Lotor. 

  
  
  
  
  


*** 

 

Lance woke up with an awful headache and a runny nose. He sat up and coughed a few times. 

 

Lotor rolled over in the bed and brushed Lance’s forehead with his hand. “You’re burning up.” 

 

Lance shivered and pulled the blanket over himself. “Maybe I’m sick.” 

 

“I’ll call my doctor, do you need anything?”

 

“More blankets.” Lance said tucking into a little ball. 

 

Lance faded in and out of consciousness. 

 

He saw a vague image of Lotor talking to someone, a doctor maybe?

 

“You have to do something!” 

 

“I’ve never treated a human before, this might not work.”

 

————— 

 

“Feeling any better love?” 

 

Lance was too tired, the world was too fuzzy. 

 

He felt something sharp in his neck,  but was too out of it to care. 

 

“Stay with me..” 

 

——————

 

“Take this.” 

 

Lance sat up and drank out of a small glass cup. He gagged a little but swallowed it. 

 

“Good good, go back to sleep.”

 

_ Don’t have to tell me twice _

 

——————

 

Lance opened his eyes, he felt a little less like he was dying. He looked over to see Lotor asleep next to a pan of cold water. 

 

_ Was he watching me all night? _

 

Lotor fluttered his eyes open. “You’re awake.” He smiled sweetly. 

 

“What happened?” Lance tried to rub his forehead but it had a wet washcloth placed on it. 

 

“You were ill, quite ill. You’ve been asleep for nearly a week.”

 

“A week?!” Lance gasped. 

 

“I put everything on hold to take care of you, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

 

“Oh.. thank, you…” Lance said awkwardly laying back down. 

 

“Keep resting, I’ll stay here until you fall asleep.” 

 

Lance had a variety of emotions all happening at once. He was happy, happy he was alive, happy he was being taken care of. He was confused, confused as to why Lotor went to such lengths to make sure he was ok. He felt a sense of comfort somehow, he liked being taken care of. 

 

Maybe he could just stay here.

 

*****

 

Lance made his way to the computer one night. 

 

“Castle of Altea.. here we go.” 

 

The computer rang and rang, but no one answered. 

 

“Guess they’re asleep.” Lance walked away from the computer and sank into the corner. 

 

Tears slipped down his cheeks and onto the floor. 

 

“Guess I’m not leaving.”

 

****

 

“Lance I would like your opinion.” Lotor asked from his desk. 

 

Lance lay on the couch, reading, like usual. “What is it?” He asked genuinely curious. 

 

“This planet has a monarchy, with a power hungry ruler. Reminds me of my father. Should I appoint a new king, or let them discuss amongst themselves?”

 

“Maybe have the people choose who they want to be king. They can still have a monarchy, but with a king, they appointed and could remove.” 

 

Lotor raised his brows. “What a good idea Lance, I’ll see to it. It’ll take me a few weeks to organize it all, why don’t you come with me.” 

 

Lance hesitated, but ultimately agreed. 

 

“Pack your things, we leave in a varga.” 

 

Lance left to go grab his bag. It had a variety of similar clothing. All see through and thin. He had a robe he wore when they were in public. But he wore the revealing lingerie underneath at all times. 

 

_ Wow. He listened to what I had to say! I am making a difference! _

 

Lance packed a few books and waited for Lotor to retrieve him. He looked at the large painting on the wall, and hummed. 

 

Maybe it wasn’t too bad here. 

 

Maybe he could stay. 

  
  


****

 

Lotor sat at a desk with the royal advisors of this new planet. They were discussing the terms of the new king. They had found one, after a few days, and were signing a bunch of paperwork decreeing Lotor’s involvement and control over them. 

 

Lance noticed a pair of eyes on him. He looked over to see a frog-like man with intense eyes staring. Lance looked at him confused. The man whispered “whore” and then resumed signing paperwork. 

 

Lance scowled. 

 

_ Nice to see ‘whore’ is used on a universal scale. _

 

He noticed a few other men staring at him. He pulled his robe in tighter and stood firm next to Lotor. 

 

_ Maybe he’s right. I did have a chance to escape, and I didn’t take it. I must like it here or I would have left by now. It’s not too bad, he really needs me. I should stay.  _

 

Lance ignored the men and smiled as Lotor brushed his leg with his thumb. 

 

_ Yeah staying isn’t too bad, is it? _

  
  


****

 

Lance read while sitting in the guest room, waiting for Lotor to get back before he could eat. He was given a plate of fruit, and got a face mask and oil because he was such an honored guest.

 

He sat comfortably, in his robe, his waxed legs under the top sheet, nibbling on a space apple. He got up and washed off the mask, before looking out the window. 

 

_ Pidge would have liked this planet. _

 

It was quite similar to the Olkairi. There were lots of cities and technology.

 

_ Pidge _ . 

 

He wondered how she was doing? If she missed him. 

 

_ She’s so tough.... she probably hasn’t noticed I’m gone.  _

 

_ Keith. _

 

_ He has, hasn’t he?  _

 

Lotor opened the door, silencing his thoughts. 

 

“I brought some dinner, I know we had dumplings once already this week, but they are quite devine on this planet.” He places what looked like a to-go bag on the table and began unloading it. 

 

Lance strolled over and poured Lotor some wine before sitting down. 

 

They ate in silence until Lotor strokes Lance’s cheek. 

 

“Quite soft, have you used a lotion?” 

 

“Just a face mask.”

 

“I’ll buy some while we’re here, you seem healthier.” 

 

Lance smiled and resumed eating, he was right, these are some pretty good dumplings. 

 

*** 

 

Lotor brought back some wine from the planet they visited and was drunk off his mind. He had already bashed Lance in the face with a wine bottle, apologized profusely, made him an ice pack, and vomited, in one Varga. 

 

Lance held the ice on his black eye, and patted Lotor on the back as he hurled into the toilet.

 

“Please don’t leave me... everyone always leaves.” 

 

Lance rubbed circles on his back saying nothing.

 

“My mother died when I was born, I have nothing to remember her by but her notes...my father never loved me. No one ever has.” 

 

Lance’s heart ached. He really did need to stay, he was never needed with Voltron, but now he is. Lotor needs him more than anyone else.

 

He knew what he needed to do. 

 

Lance set down the ice pack and kissed Lotor’s cheek. “Let’s go to bed.” He helped him to his feet and tucked him in, leaving behind a trash can to puke in. 

 

Lotor passed out very quickly and snored, one hand off the side of the bed the other, holding Lance close.

 

Lance smiled and slipped into a restful sleep.

  
  


****

 

Team Voltron had taken another planet from Lotor, and he was beyond pissed. 

 

Lance hid in the corner while Lotor paced around breaking random things. 

 

It was getting late, Lance wanted to go to bed, but at this rate? He’d be lucky to have any of his limbs not broken. 

 

Lotor looked his way, furious. Then he took a deep breath and massaged his scalp.

 

“Lance, I need you to do something for me.”

 

“What is it?” Lance said a slight waver in his voice. 

 

“Can you just get me a drink?” He said sitting on the couch. 

 

_ Great. He’s even worse when he’s drunk. _

 

“Ok…” Lance made his way to the kitchen. His hands were shaking. He grabbed a bottle of Galran wine and poured it into a glass. He walked back to see Lotor sitting on the couch waiting impatiently. 

 

He handed him the glass and went back to the corner. 

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Lance froze. “I’m.. going to bed.”

 

“No, come sit with me.” He demanded. 

 

Lance left the corner and sat next to Lotor on the couch. Even though the furniture was more elegant, the room reminded him of the castle. There were two couches facing each other, and a fireplace. There was a kitchen on the other side of the room. Lotor made his dinner there. It was always so delicious. 

 

Lotor sipped on his wine and wrapped his arm around Lance’s waist. His skin shrunk where his hand rested. Lance would kill for his jacket, or something less revealing. 

 

Lotor played with the hem of his pants. Lance shuttered at his touch. 

 

“Pour me some more wine.” 

 

Lance went and got the wine and came back. He poured him more, his hands shaking, his throat scratchy. 

 

Lotor finished the bottle and grabbed Lance’s chin. Lance swallowed the lump in his throat and sat still. 

 

“My pet, so well behaved.” Lotor scratched under his chin and kissed him. He tasted like alcohol, bitter alcohol. He reached behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. He swept his tongue over Lance’s teeth, Lance’s shuttering made him smile. He eventually pulled back. Lance’s eyes drooped and he continued to shake. 

 

“Let’s go to bed,” Lotor kissed his cheek and pulled at his arm. 

 

Lance wondered how long it would be. How long it would be before kissing wasn’t enough for him. 

 

With that thought, he fell into a restless sleep in Lotor’s arms. 

 

****

 

Lotor tried to get Lance to cook a few times, but he was awful, so Lotor stopped asking. Lotor was cooking them some dinner, while Lance sat on the couch, reading. He wasn’t out of children’s book territory but getting better. He had never read this much in his life, but now there was nothing to do, so all he did was read. 

 

“Dinner is ready.” Lotor cooed. 

 

Lance made his way to the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of wine and one glass. He set two plates and two sets of silverware. He dished out a little food on his plate and the rest of it, he put on Lotor’s plate. The same routine every night. 

 

Tonight it was purple noodles, with a rich sauce, and brownish green meat and green potato like vegetable. 

 

Lance ate slowly, savoring the taste. He couldn’t help but worry, he wondered how his friends were, he wondered if they were still looking for him. 

 

They have probably given up by now.

 

“What’s the matter love?” Lotor thumbed his hand. 

 

Lance knew better than to retract it. 

 

“Nothing,” Lance debated being honest. Maybe if he knew how much he missed his friends he would let him see them again. 

 

“Talk to me.” Lotor looked deep into his eyes. 

 

“I miss my friends.” 

 

Lotor frowned. “You don’t need them anymore, they abandoned you.” 

 

Lance said nothing, he merely set his fork down. 

 

“You must eat, to keep up your strength.”

 

“I’m not very hungry..” 

 

Lotor slammed his fist on the table. “You do what I say!”

 

Lance picked up the fork and resumed eating. 

 

“Was that so hard?” He brushed Lance’s cheek with his hand. 

 

Lance flinched, but barely. He was getting used to his touch.

 

***

 

Lance had been reading on the couch, and fell asleep. He was having a good dream. He and Hunk we watching Keith and Shiro spar. Keith was winning somehow and Shiro was getting so upset. 

 

It was hilarious. 

 

“Why don’t you lay in our bed?” Hunk asked. 

 

_ What? _

 

“Darling, you’ll catch a cold out here.” Lotor was kneeling next to him on the couch, looking at him with fond eyes. 

 

“Oh, sure.” He started walking to their room when he heard Lotor’s steps behind him. His heart picked up the pace slightly. 

 

Lance got to the bed and looked behind his to see Lotor stripping. 

 

_ Tonight’s the night, the night he takes me.  _

 

Lance stood still while he reached around his waist. He held his breath while he pulled off his shirt, if you could even call it that. Lotor kissed his shoulders and felt his stomach. 

 

He bit his shoulder drawing blood slightly, and lapped it up. He started to reach lower when Lance began to cry. 

 

Lotor huffed and turned Lance towards himself. “Why are you crying? Don’t pretend you don’t want this.” 

 

“I don’t want this!” Lance sobbed. 

 

Lotor muttered something under his breath and smiled. “You will someday soon, I’ll make sure of it. Let’s go to bed.” 

 

They both lay down and Lotor wrapped his arms around Lance like usual. Lance cried into the pillow until the sounds of Lotor’s soft breathing lulled him to sleep. 

 

*** 

 

“Lance,” Lotor said walking into the room. 

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“I have a gift for you.”

 

“Really?”

 

He snapped his fingers and a little alien cat came trotting up. 

 

“Kitty!” Lance jumped up from the couch setting his book to the side. “Is he?”

 

“She’s all yours.”

 

“Thank you!!” Lance ran over and picked up the alien cat. It was purple and blue with long ears and a fuzzy tail. 

 

He nuzzled into it and listened to her purr. “Thank you so much!” 

 

“What will you name her?” 

 

“Pepper.” 

 

“What a lovely name.” Lotor laughed. “I’m going on a trip, are you staying here or coming with me?”

 

_ A chance to escape! _

 

“I’ll stay here.” Lance said a little too eagerly. 

 

“If you stay here you’ll be under guard at all times.”

 

_ Oh.  _

 

“I’ll come with, I guess.”

 

“Splendid, let’s get you some different clothes, I don’t want any of my men drooling over you.”

_ New clothes! _

 

“I left him in our room, get changed and we’ll depart.”

 

Lance walked into the room, eager to change into some less revealing clothes. He saw on the bed a tight suit. It looked like a scuba suit,  but in the Galran colors. 

 

Lance wondered if he was ever getting his jacket back.

 

***

 

Lance sat by the window of the ship, looking at the planets passing by. He thought, for just one second, his friends would find him, but he gave that up right away. 

 

Finally, when they landed Lance gasped as he saw the landscape. 

 

It was a beach! 

 

Lotor smiled and Lance pushed closer to the window to see the ocean. It was blue, like Earth’s, but the beach was purple. Not like he cared, a beach is a beach, and he was so excited to play in the water, to lay in the sun, to feel like he’s home. 

 

“Let’s go,” Lotor and his men walked out of the ship, Lance made a Beeline for the ocean but was grabbed on the shoulder by Lotor. 

 

“This is a great present is it not?”

 

“Best present ever.”

 

“Then I deserve one as well.”

 

_ Ugh, what does he want.  _

 

“Give me a kiss, a real one. 

 

If this was the price to pay for having fun at the beach, no problem. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and got on his tiptoes to reach Lotor’s mouth. He tried to do a closed mouth kiss, but that wasn’t an option apparently. Lotor cupped his chin and slipped his tongue inside. Lance tried to pretend he was somewhere else, but the sharp nails digging into his side could not be imagined away. 

 

He missed Keith, he missed Keith and his soft kisses and long hair to tug while making out. He missed their warm cuddles, he missed being the big spoon. Most of all he missed his laugh. 

 

When Lotor laughed it was like he was being made fun of. Something he’s quite used to, but doesn’t make it hurt any less. 

 

When Lotor kissed him, it was like he was trying to drain his energy, make him weak in the knees, weak all over. Lotor bit his lip, which hadn’t finished healing, and began to bleed again. He lapped it up and finally pulled away, letting Lance breathe. 

 

Lance gasped for breath, wiping the bloody lip on his sleeve. He looked up at Lotor, praying that was enough for him. Knowing one day it wouldn’t be. 

 

“Go have fun, I have work to attend to. I’ll be back in a varga.”

 

Lance watched him leave before he went to enjoy the beach. The first thing he did is wash out his mouth with saltwater, Lotor tasted gross. He swam around, did a few laps, scowled at his guard, and lay in the sand, soaking up the sun. Before he knew it, he’d fallen asleep, dreaming of his family and the time they spent together on the beach. He would chase his little nieces and nephews around, while his brother and sisters relaxed. Then they would all get pizza and sit by the bonfire getting eaten by bugs, it was always worth it. 

 

“Time to depart.” Lotor said looming over him. 

 

Lance sighed, it hadn’t been long enough. He made his way into the ship, on the verge of tears as he saw the planet get farther and farther away.

 

“Why don’t we shower off?” Lotor said wrapping his arm around his waist. Lance knew better than to say no. 

 

“Ok.” 

 

Lotor stripped him of his wet clothes and turned on the shower. Lance stepped in, his mood darkened. He closed his eyes pretending not to feel the wandering hands on his body. 

 

_ I’m never going home.  _

  
  


***

 

Lance tried to connect to the castle a few times but to no avail, he ended up just going back to bed. 

 

One day Lance was sitting on the couch, reading, with Pepper asleep at his feet, when Lotor came into the room. 

 

“Would you like to see your friends again?”

 

Lance looked up, disbelieving. 

 

“You will never see them again!” He laughed.

 

Lance looked down leading to a cackle. 

 

"You're mine now, they're not coming for you. I've sent them 'my location' and I'm sure they're heading there now. My entire armada will be there to welcome them.”

 

"Don't!" Lance begged. "I'll stay here don't hurt them!” Pepper jumped up, confused by the yelling. 

 

"You think my father would see you as a good enough replacement for Voltron? You're for me and me alone." 

 

_ Come for me Blue. _

 

"Why the tears?" Lotor asked. As if he had no idea why Lance was crying. Tears continued to stream as Lotor wiped them away, he gave him a peck, and then another on his forehead. "They never treated you as an equal did they? They never let you know your worth.”

 

"My friends didn't do anything wrong, it's my fault.”

 

Lotor kneeled in front of him and held his cheeks. "How could it have been your fault? If they really liked you, they would have saved you by now.”

 

Lance couldn't help but wonder if he was right. They hadn't come for him, no one had. 

"If you obey me, I will see that you are treated as a prince like I." He traced Lances neck with his finger, pulling back the cloth slightly. He bit him again, but softer not drawing blood. He rested a hand on his stomach.

 

Lance closed his eyes, waiting for it to be over. 

 

He pulled off his top, Lance kept his eyes closed, shaking like a leaf. 

 

He pulled down his pants when Lance grabbed his hand. 

 

"No! I can't." Lance pushed him away.

 

"You'll regret touching me as if YOU are superior!" 

 

Suddenly a hole was blown through the wall. 

 

"Blue I'm going to get sucked into space without a helmet!" Lance shouted. But he noticed it wasn't like with the airlock. He wasn't getting pulled away. "I'm on a planet." Blue met his eyes, he pulled up his pants and he ran to her.

 

"Lance don't leave me! I need you!" 

 

Lance hesitated. He couldn't believe it! He was safe with the Blue lion but still, he wanted to go back. But then he heard the voices of his teammates.

 

"Lance are you there?" Hunk cried out.

 

"Are we sure Blue found him?" Pidge asked.

 

"Lance, please answer." Keith begged.

 

"Lance do you copy!" Shiro yelled.

 

Lance grabbed Pepper despite her howling and ran to the cockpit. He sat down in the cockpit and replied. "I copy.”

 

"Lance!" Everyone cheered.

 

"Buddy, we missed you!" Hunk shouted.

 

"Welcome back." Shiro added.

 

“Is that a cat?” Keith asked. 

 

"No time to welcome, you're heading for a trap.”

 

"But it's the location I tracked from your call?" Pidge questioned.

 

"He must have known I was contacting you guys and sent a fake location." 

 

"Then hurry back and we'll get out of here." 

 

"Don't have to tell me twice I'm on my way.

*** 

 

"Lance you are seriously rocking that look." Pidge laughed as he walked out of his lion. He took a few steps and then fell the rest of the way. Keith caught him as he was about to hit the ground. 

 

"Lance!" He held his mouth up to his ear. "He's breathing, just unconscious." 

 

Everyone sighed relieved. Pepper came running to Lance’s side, licking his hand and rubbing her face against his legs. 

 

Keith felt around Lance looking for anything broken.

 

"Doesn't look like anything's broken but." 

 

They all stared at the bruises and bite marks on his neck. 

"Let's uh.. let's put him in a healing pod. Someone want to get that lingerie off him.” Shiro said awkwardly 

 

"Keith." Pidge said walking away.

 

"Keith's got this." Hunk said joining Pidge.

 

"I've got to fly us out of here." Allura said leaving as well, Coran followed not giving a response. 

 

"You got this Keith." Shiro placed one hand on his shoulder.

 

“Quiznak."

 

***

 

Lance woke up groggily behind a glass frame. "Healing pod?" The frame opened and he stumbled forward. 

 

"You're ok!" Pidge shouted. She ran forward and helped him to his feet.

 

“Where’s Pepper?” Lance asked desperately. 

 

“Keith has your cat if that’s who you’re asking about.” 

 

Lance sighed, relieved. 

 

"How are you feeling?" Hunk asked.

 

"I'm hungry.”

 

"Let's go get you some food." Shiro said smiling.

 

Lance had to wear Altean clothes since Lotor had all the clothes he brought from Earth. 

He wore a tight blue shirt with white trim going two lines down his shirt. He wore loose fitting blue capris with elastic on the lower calf.

 

"I look like Altean Korra." He said sitting down to eat.

 

"I don't really have all the ingredients so you're going to have to make due with food goo, for now at least." Hunk apologized. 

 

"Thank you Hunk," Lance said taking a bite. He sighed and set down the spoon.

 

"What's wrong?" Pidge asked.

 

"Galran food is better." 

 

The silence was deafening. 

 

"I'm going to go get some sleep." Lance said standing up. "Thanks for the food, I guess I'm just not hungry. Come on Pepper”

 

Once Lance and his cat left the room Pidge asked, “wasn't 'I'm hungry' the first thing he said?" 

 

"I'm gonna go check on him." Keith said. He walked slowly to Lance's room and knocked on the door.

 

"Come in." He said.

 

"Hey Lance, are you doing ok?”

 

Lance sat on the bed, Pepper in his lap. She was curled into a little ball, sleeping. "I miss him.”

 

“Who?"

 

“Lotor."

 

"Are you serious?! He tortured you!" 

 

"I know I know, trust me, I know.”

 

“Why?"

 

"I have no idea, it was just l... I don't know.”

 

Keith sat on his bed, "no say it." 

 

"Every time he showed me any kindness it felt more kind than anything anyone has ever done for me. And when I left, he looked so sad he said: "don't leave me I need you." I hesitated then, I don't know why.”

 

"Stockholm syndrome.”

 

"What's that.”

 

"When you start to love your abuser because they show you any kindness. It's like if someone gave you 100 dollars you would be so happy. But at the time you had 900. But someone else takes all your money back and gives you a 10. It feels so much more than the 100. But they still took all of your money. But you're so thankful you have money again, do you understand?”

 

"Yeah.... I think.”

 

"Would it help if we were nice to you?”

 

“Yeah."

 

Lance lay back down and held his arms out.

 

“What?"

 

"Lay with me... and Pepper”

 

"Oh ok." Keith snuggled in next to him and waited. Pepper curled into a little ball by Lance’s stomach. Lance rolled to his side and lay his arm across him. He was wide awake until he heard Lance snoring slightly. He felt his eyelids get heavier until he too was sound asleep.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is back with his friends, but he isn't truly back. His soul lies elsewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait a little longer before I posted this, but I just couldn't wait to share this with you guys. 
> 
> Some Klance fluff lies ahead as well as recovery Lance
> 
> translation on the bottom

Hunk and Lance were working on dinner, Lance was chopping up some space onions when he turned to Hunk and said, “Hey Hunk,”

 

“Yeah what’s up?” Hunk replied.

 

“Watch this.” Lance switched the grip on his knife, so the blade was facing downwards

 

“Oh knife tricks, isn’t that more Keith’s thing?”

 

He proceeded to stab it straight into his own hand.

 

Hunk screamed like he was being murdered. Pepper jumped off the table and hid underneath it

 

“Ouch... Hunk calm down” Lance said cooly.

 

“What are you screaming about?” Pidge said walking in. Lance turned around and stood there knife still in his hand, blood dripping on the floor.

 

“Lance!! What the fuck are you doing?!” Then Pidge and Hunk were screaming.

 

“What’s going on?” Keith said walking in. “Holy shit is there a knife through your hand?! What are you doing, take it out!” Then Pidge, Hunk, and Keith were all screaming and Pepper was hissing, there was blood all over the floor; it was a mess.

 

Shiro runs in, fully suited in his armor, hand glowing, shouting, “Who’s attacking? What’s going on?”

 

“Lance stabbed himself!” Hunk shouted.

 

“He what??” Keith, Pidge, and Shiro all exclaimed.

 

Lance ignored them temporarily and grabbed a kitchen rag to hold against his hand as he pulled the knife out.

 

“Lance what are you doing?!” Keith gasped.

 

“Ok everyone calm down, look” He held his hand up to show it already almost completely healed.

 

“Uh, this is reeeeeally weirding me out,” Hunk said backing up.

 

“I think it’s because of the quintessence, I think I literally can’t die.”

 

“But we killed Zarkon didn’t we?” Pidge asked.

 

“That’s the thing, I don’t think we did. I think he’s going to come back eventually, this means Lotor can’t die either.”

 

“So you’re going to outlive us all, and have to fight Zarkon and Lotor forever?” Pidge asked.

 

Tears welled up in Lance’s eyes, “Don’t joke about that.”

 

“Sorry,” Pidge said softly.

 

Allura and Coran eavesdropped. “Don’t fret my boy,” Coran added in. “We just need to stick them in an old cryochamber pod. Sleepytime forever.”

 

Lance cleaned up the floor, but he was obviously deep in thought.

  


***

  


A few days past and everything seemed back to normal.

 

“Guys I lost one of my cooking knives.” Hunk complained. He was all aproned up, ready to make some cookies, however, one of them had gone missing.

 

“Where have you looked last?” Pidge asked not looking up from her laptop. Keith glanced over her shoulder and saw she was working on a Klance fanfiction. She glared at Keith and shut her laptop. “If you want to read it, wait until I’m done.”

 

“Read what?” Hunk asked.

 

“Don’t worry about it.” She got up and headed to her room.

 

“Where’s Lance?” Keith asked.

 

“He said he was going to take a nap,” Shiro said looking up from his book. “But that was a few hours ago, you should wake him up so he can get some sleep tonight.” He returned to his book.

 

Keith made his way to Lance’s room when he heard sniffling. “Lance, what’s wrong?”

 

“Don’t come in!!” Lance shouted.

 

“Why not?” Keith waited by the door.

 

“I’m uh, naked?”

 

“Then why are you crying?”

 

“What? Me? cry?”

 

Keith walked in anyways.

 

“Hey!” Lance complained, hiding his arm. Keith grabbed it forcefully to see parallel cuts slowly fading. Pepper jumped on Keith’s feet and hissed.

 

“You took Hunk’s knife so you could cut yourself? Why?” He said letting go to soothe Pepper.

 

“It doesn’t matter it heals right away.”

 

“It does matter. Why are you hurting yourself?”

 

“It doesn’t feel real.”

 

“The healing?”

 

“Everything. The food tastes terrible, he like ruined my tastebuds, my throat just constantly hurts, I’m fucking immortal and I’m going to outlive all of you.” He started sobbing uncontrollably. Keith wrapped his arms around him. Pepper jumped on his lap, eying Keith suspiciously.

 

“I don’t have a bayard anymore, I want my jacket back, I want my shoes, and my jeans, and my baseball shirt. That had been passed down from all my brothers and now fucking Lotor has it! And my mouth still tastes like him, him and my blood mixed together.”

 

Keith held his chin silencing his sobs. “Can I kiss you?”

 

Lance nodded as Keith already moved in. Their lips met slowly and soft. Lance tasted like salty tears. Keith pulled back but Lance moved back in, the kiss getting hotter and sweeter than before. Keith entered his tongue inside, sloppy and unpracticed. Lance moans softly as Keith tried desperately to get the taste away. They finally pulled back panting quietly, looking deep into each other's eyes.

 

“Better?” Keith asked.

 

“A little.” Lance sighed and rested his head on Keith’s shoulder. Keith grabbed the knife and slid it into his coat pocket. “I’ll put this back when no one’s looking.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Why don’t you come out with everyone else?”

 

“I’m not ready yet.”

 

“Ok, we’ll wait for you.”

 

Pepper watched Keith leave and rubbed on Lance spitefully. Lance scratched behind her ears as she settled down for a nap.

 

He looked at the floor and sighed.

 

***

It was the middle of the night, everyone was asleep, except Lance. He was putting on his paladin armor rapidly trying extra hard to be quiet. He snuck one of the spare blasters and grabbed a bag and filled it full with Hunk’s cookies, empty containers, and a water bottle.

 

“Pepper stay.” He said pointing at her before he went to Blue’s bay.

 

She looked pissed but sat down obediently.

 

“Good kitty.”

 

He continued to the bay whispering to himself. “This is like that one scene from Mulan, I’m a badass warrior chick, going to save my family... Fuck, Keith is going to be pissed.” He pet Blue’s nose and whispered, “Open up.” He walked up the ramp and flew into the night.

***

  


“Paladins! The Blue Lion is gone!” Allura shouted running out in her nightgown.

 

“Well where’s Lance, maybe he’s flying her around for no reason,” Pidge said eating some food goo. “His cat is still here, he couldn’t have gone very far.”

 

“No, something was up,” Keith added, “I bet I know where he flew back to.”

 

“You don’t think.” Hunk said shocked.

 

“I do..”

 

Allura ran to the deck and opened up her view of the stars. The Blue Lion was traveling right back to where she saved him from.

 

“What is he doing?” Pidge gasped. “Do you think he’s going back to see Lotor? Keith?”

 

They all looked expectantly at him, “I don’t…I don’t know.”

 

“Maybe Lotor implanted a chip in him that controls his mind?” Hunk theorized.

 

“No he seemed out of it, but not out of control.”

 

“What caused this then?” Allura questioned.

 

“It doesn’t matter what caused this, we need to go get Lance,” Keith said determinedly.

  


****

  


“This might have been too much for me to do on my own.” Lance thought to himself. He tied the bag around his side, hiding it between his arm and his waist. “First things first, I need to get some food.” He ate one of Hunk’s cookies and snuck into the kitchen. It was barely lit by purple light. He grabbed as many loaves of bread that he could fit into his bag and chugged some of the cream. “Don’t vomit.” He told himself. “Ok time for your real mission. He walked past the throne into a room holding purely quintessence. He pulled out six jars. He carefully opened a quintessence container and poured it into his jars. “Now I don’t have to be alone forever.” He whispered. He sealed the jars and put them back in his bag. “Now, where are my clothes?”

 

“Who’s there? I don’t need a guard in my quarters … Lance?” Lotor walked out of his room. “I knew you would come back to me.”

 

“I want my clothes back!” He shouted pointing the blaster at him.

 

“Easy, you don’t want to hurt me.”

 

“Yeah, actually I do.”

 

“Lance where did you go?!” He heard a voice shout on the radio.

“Keith, I’ll talk to you in a second I'm kinda..” Lotor pulled out a sword and cut his blaster in two.

 

“Eyes on me paladin.” He teased.

 

“Well fuck me I guess.” He immediately regretted his choice of words.

 

“Gladly.” Lotor walked closer. Lance dropped his bag and put up his fists.

 

“So I thought I could do this on my own... but that’s no longer an option.”

 

“Lance, what’s going on? Get back here right now!” Shiro demanded.

 

Lance went straight for Lotor’s junk, but Lotor grabbed his foot. “Fuck this.” He pulled back but Lotor had Galran blood in his veins, he was much stronger than Lance.

 

“Lance are you ok?” Hunk asked.

 

“Can you guys just…” He was interrupted by being tossed to the ground. He jumped back on his feet to see a sword going straight for him.

 

“Hey! I thought you liked me.” Lance said dodging the sword.

 

“Only when you’re obedient.” He grazed Lance’s arm when finally, Lance ran out of fucks to give. He grabbed Lotor’s sword and threw it to the side. Lotor backhanded him, and Lance wiped his bloody hands on Lotor’s face.

 

“Disgusting,” He said wiping the blood off his face.

 

“Give me back my clothes!!” Lance yelled grabbing the sword.

 

“Please, you have no idea how to use that.”

 

“Give me back my fucking clothes!!”

 

“Why do they matter?”

 

“It’s all I have left.”

 

“From whom?”

 

“From home!!”

 

Lance held the sword and panted. “It’s the only reminder I have of them, my family.”

 

“Oh, I see.” Lotor chuckled. “That’s the last tie you have to Earth. I could take you back there.”

 

“Don’t touch Earth,” Lance spat.

 

“Oh, but we could rule it together, you could be with your familia.”

 

Lance froze, and his grip on the sword tightened, “How do you know that word.”

 

“You learned my language, I learned yours, Por que los dejaste?”

 

Lance suddenly heard his team calling out to him. “Los dejé porque los amo. Blue, light her up.” He pulled out his shield as blue blasted another hole in the side of the ship. He pushed the debris off of him and looked around for Lotor. He was buried beneath the rubble. Blue waited impatiently.

 

“One minute Blue! I need to find my clothes and my Bayard.” He picked up his bag and went to the place he hadn’t checked, Lotor’s room. He stepped in cautiously and saw his jacket on the bed. How many nights had he spent there, under Lotor’s control? He got chills thinking about their time together. He didn’t see the rest of his clothes but his Bayard was mounted on the wall. “Jacket and Bayard are good enough!”

 

“Lance, are you ok? We’re almost there.” Keith shouted.

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m leaving now.” He stared back and saw Lotor’s hand from under the rubble. “I fucking hate myself.” He sighed. He reached for Lotor’s arms and pulled him out from under the rubble. He leaned him against the wall and sighed again. He looked at his hands, still bleeding. He wrote a note on a stab of space concrete, in his own blood. It read “Si haces daño a mi familia, te mataré”

 

He looked back as he climbed into his lion and sighed. “Let’s go home Blue.”

 

***

 

“I cannot believe you left on your own! Without even telling anyone,” Shiro lectured him.

 

He sat in front of everyone playing with the bandages on his hands, “You know I don’t need this right?” Pepper paced around in front of Lance, asking for pets.

 

“Lance, we are always stronger together,” Shiro sighed. “If you wanted to go back for your jacket, we could have come up with something.”

 

“Oh, I got more than my jacket. Check this out.” He pulled out the six jars of quintessence.

 

“Is that?” Pidge asked adjusting her glasses amazed.

 

“Yup, I stole some quintessence.”

 

“Is that why you went by yourself?” Keith asked.

 

“Yeah, I’m the only one that couldn’t have gotten hurt.”

 

“But you did get hurt! Just because it doesn't last doesn't mean you weren't hurt.” Hunk said sadly.

 

“But now we can all live thousands of years together!”

 

The team all looked at each other questionable.

 

“Is that a good idea?” Pidge asked.

 

“Of course it is, no more healing pods, no more close calls, we can protect the universe for thousands of years!”

 

“That's an idea.. of sorts. We Alteans already live for thousands of years, however, I know Humans have a much shorter lifespan.”

 

“I’m gonna drink it,” Pidge said.

 

“Woo Pidge!” Lance cheered.

 

“Think about it, I could make more advancements in technology than anyone on Earth ever could!”

 

“Then I will too,” Hunk added. “I’m not leaving Pidge and Lance alone.”

 

Lance wrapped his arms around Pidge and Hunk and cheered, “The trio is back!”

 

“I’ll drink it too, someone has to look after Lance,” Keith teased.

 

“Hey!” Lance retorted.

 

“We could get back the whole galaxy if Voltron lasted for thousands of years,” Shiro said deep in thought.

 

Lance and Pidge started chanting Shiro’s name.

 

”Shiro! Shiro! SHIRO! SHIRO!”

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

The whole team cheered, they all got their cups ready when Lance yelled, “Wait!!”

 

“What?” Keith asked.

 

“What if it’s poisoned?”

 

They put the cups down.

 

“I’ll just take a sip of everyone's beforehand, we wait until tomorrow and then everyone drinks.”

 

“Good plan, Lance. But wouldn’t the poison not affect you at all?” Shiro questioned.

 

“I still hurt, but it always heals.” He undid the bandages on his hand to reveal a scarless hand.

 

“Let's wait a few hours between each one so we know which one is potentially poisonous,” Pidge suggested.

 

“Oh, I got them all from the same one.”

 

“Ok, guess not then.”

 

Shiro gave Pidge a pat on her back as they passed Lance their jars. He took a sip of each one and once he was finished, he lay down and held his stomach.

 

“You ok, Lance?” Keith asked.

 

“Yeah, I’m just full.”

  


***

  


Pidge heard the whirr of the Altean laundry machine in the middle of the night and went to investigate. The cabinet drawer was slamming over and over. She walks in to see Lance in his pajamas slamming his hand in the cabinet. Pepper hissed as she entered the room.

 

“Woah, Lance what the fuck” She pet Pepper behind her ears calming her down.

 

“OH! uh, hey, can you pretend you didn’t see anything?”

 

“Fuck no, give me your hand.” She held hers out expectantly. He gave her his bruised and slightly bleeding hand and she held it gently. “Why are you doing this to yourself? I saw Keith washing something in the middle of the night, and the next day Hunk had his knife back. I thought maybe Keith stole it, but that was you wasn’t it?”

 

Lance nodded ashamedly.

 

“Come here,” She held her arms out. He walked into the hug like it was the only thing he ever wanted.

 

He sighed and rested his chin on her head. Hot tears dropped on her head. “Lance...”

 

“It’s my fault.”

 

“What is?”

 

“If I really didn’t want to be with Lotor, I would have escaped sooner.”

 

“You really think you’d rather be with Lotor than us?”

 

“No…”

 

“He tortured you, you would never want to be with him.”

 

“But I miss him… and and.. I had a chance to escape and I didn’t take it…”

 

Pidge paused but resumed rubbing circles on his back. “Do you really?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Do you miss him, or do you miss the brief breaks of abuse. Is that why you’re hurting yourself, you feel like you deserve abuse?”

 

She felt him nod.

 

“Well you don’t. You sacrificed yourself for us! None of us could ever make up for that.”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

 

“Do you want me to get Keith.”

 

He nodded again.

 

Pidge let go of Lance, making sure he sat down. Then quickly made her way to Keith’s room.~

 

“Keith,” Pidge said knocking on his door. “Your boyfriend needs you.”

 

He got up quickly and opened the door. “Where is he?”

 

~~~

 

Keith heard the soft sobs as he arrived at the laundry room. “Lance?”

 

“I’m fine,”

 

“You don’t sound fine to me.”

 

He held his arms out expectantly.

 

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Pidge said giving Keith a pat on the back.

 

‘Thanks, Pidge.” He walked over to Lance and grabbed his hand. “What did you do to your hand?”

 

“I hit it with the cabinet door.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Same reason as before.”

 

“Pidge said that you thought you wanted to be with him.”

 

“Yeah..”

 

“You don’t.”

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

“Hasn’t anyone you’ve ever known been in an abusive relationship?”

 

“No.”

 

“Well, it’s like I was saying, Stockholm syndrome.”

 

“Where you want to stay with them because they were nice, right?”

 

“More specifically they held you captive and abused you, and then they were nice. I saw the bruise on your neck, you know what he was going to do.”

 

“Yeah.. it never got to.. _that_ , but close.”

“But we won’t let him get you.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

***

 

“Everyone ready?” Shiro asked.

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Hunk said pinching his nose.

 

“Lance, what does this taste like?” Pidge asked.

 

“Honey and Olive oil. But the same texture as cream.”

 

“On the count of three.” Shiro started.

 

“One,” They all chanted.

 

“Two,” Everyone plugged their noses.

 

“Three!” Lance yelled.

 

Everyone downed their jars. Hunk gagged at the end of his. “Lance this feels weird.” He complained.

 

“It goes away eventually,” Lance had cheered up immensely and was really enjoying this new spot of knowledge he held over everyone.

 

“Now your bruises won’t go away immediately, it takes a few days,” He explained.

 

“About the same amount of time as it takes the warm feeling to go away, and remember, everything still hurts just as much.”

 

“Looks like we’re going to be spending a lot more time together,” Shiro said patting Lance on the back.

 

“Looks like we all are,” Pidge laughed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Por que los dejaste - why did you leave them 
> 
> Los dejé porque los amo. - I left them because I love them 
> 
> familia - family (duh) 
> 
> \Si haces daño a mi familia, te mataré - if you hurt my family, I will kill you


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team takes a trip to a space marketplace.   
> Maybe Lance can eat some real food?   
> Maybe Lance can stop giving Keith boners in public?   
> Who knows?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, be expecting the next chapter shortly. Got some sweet Klance fluff ahead as well as some Langst, I know you guys are excited about that good quality Langst 
> 
> Next chapter Lance finally gets closure. Well some closure.

A skinny teen slunk through the darkness. He had an empty bag in his hand and he crept softly, trying desperately not to wake anyone up.”Pepper go back to our room,” He whispered.  

 

Suddenly the light flashed on, he covered his eyes and winced. 

 

“Lance, we talked about this.” A still thin, but less than our escapee, teen with long hair. He crossed his arms disapprovingly.

 

“I’m just going to steal some food Keith, I’ll be right back, I promise.” Lance looked at him desperately staying on his knees.

 

“No going back there! You’re hurting yourself.” 

 

“I need to go back, you don’t understand! He needs me!” 

 

“You’re right, I don’t understand.” He reached a hand out to help him up and Lance flinched, holding his arms in front of his face. 

 

“Lance I’m not going to hurt you, come here.” Keith wanted to cry. His poor broken boyfriend started to sob. Lance pulled his knees up and buried his face in them. Pepper curled up next to him. She and Keith were used to this routine. 

 

“Lotor is a piece of shit for doing this to you.” 

 

“Don’t talk about him like that,” Lance said sniffing. 

 

Keith dropped down slowly and sat next to Lance. He wanted to hold him, but he avoided touching him for now. Lance dropped his head on his shoulder. 

 

“What’s wrong with me?” 

 

Keith couldn't help it, he first touched Lance’s shoulder seeking approval. Lance leaned into his hand. Keith wrapped his arm around him and nestled into the ground. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith’s neck and cried freely. Before he knew it he was asleep. Keith left his arm around him and sighed. He scooped him up easily and carried him back to bed. Pepper not far behind. Lance’s arms hung like he was dead. Enough so that Keith checked his pulse occasionally. 

 

“Keith?” He heard a soft voice behind him. 

 

A short girl stood rubbing her eyes under her glasses. 

 

“Hey Pidge, can’t sleep?” 

 

She ruffled her sandy blonde hair and replied, “Just running a few tests on a prototype I made, did Lance try to run off again?” 

 

“Yeah, I don’t know what to do about him,” Keith said shifting Lance’s weight to hold him easier. 

 

“Maybe Shiro knows? He’s the only other seriously traumatized member of the team we have.”

 

“Maybe.” He looked down to see Lance drooling slightly, obviously deep in sleep. He began shivering and making soft distress noises. “Better get him back to bed,” Keith said. 

 

“Good luck.” 

 

“Thanks, we’ll need it.”

 

***

“Morning Keith, where’s Lance?” Hunk asked 

 

“Taking a shower, he said eat without him,” 

 

“He’s not eating much recently…” Hunk sighed. “But I’m gonna pick up some more supplies at the next planet we land on, then we won’t have to eat so much food goo.” 

 

“That should help.” Keith sighed. 

 

“How are you doing?” Shiro asked. 

 

“Me, I’m fine.” 

 

“How are you really?” Pidge said sitting on the table. 

 

Keith lowered his voice and replied, “kinda stressed honestly.” 

 

“Is there anything we can do?” Hunk asked. 

 

“Just keep acting like everything is normal. I know it’s killing him when we treat him differently.”

 

Lance unwrapped his head with the towel and stood within earshot but not within view. They were talking about him just like he thought they were going to. He waited for the conversation to stray to something they wouldn’t mind him hearing. “Everything is back to normal, act like you always do, confident, flirty… confident.” He whispered to himself. 

 

“Hey guys!” He waltzed in and took a seat next to Keith, Pepper close behind. “Sorry I took so long, you should join me next time Keith, make it last even longer.” He threw finger guns as Keith slapped his face with his hand. 

 

Coran walked into the room with Allura and Lance called out, “Coran, do you have any more of those face masks?” 

 

“Sorry my boy, you used up the last one thirty quintets ago.” 

 

Lance leaned over and rubbed his wet hair with a towel. “We’re getting more supplies today right?” 

 

“Yes, we need some more lubricant for the various parts of the castle, as well as food..” 

 

“And I need some parts for this addition to the caste I’m making.” 

 

“Oooh addition to the castle.”Lance wrapped the towel around his neck. “I knew we could count on our little genius.” 

 

Pidge blushed and replied, “Here I saved you some breakfast.” She passed a plate of food goo his way. 

 

“Thanks, but I might be coming down with something.” 

 

“Oh no, are you ok?” Shiro asked concerned. 

 

“I’m just a little nauseous.” he lied. 

 

“You can stay back when we go to get supplies.” 

 

“No don’t worry I’m fine.” he lied again.

 

***

  
  


“Everyone fan out, let’s meet up again in two Vargas,” Coran said. “I’m giving you all an allowance of 300 gak.” 

 

“Allowance? We aren’t children. Plus the only reason you have any gak is cause you keep selling my equipment,” Pidge complained. 

 

“He’s thousands of years old, everyone is a child to him,”  Lance explained. 

 

“I’m gonna go look for the parts,” Pidge sighed. 

 

Pidge made her way through the crowd, weaving between the aliens. This place was less like a mall and more like a marketplace. “Ugh, I wish Lance went with me, he could see over everyone’s head.” She grumbled. Finally, she saw it. The quantum scanner bulb, it lay within reach. “How much for this?” She asked the Galra behind the counter. 

 

“I’ve already promised it to this little lady.” He gestured to a tall, but still shorter than Lance, Galra teenager. She had her purple hair tied back in a long braid with the sides shaved, her face was smooth, rather than furry like she expected. However, she had purple cat-like ears that lay back passively. She had face paint framing her cheeks and a red line that went past her lips down her chin. “Sorry this one is mine, you’ll have to find it somewhere else.” 

 

“You don’t understand I need this to find my brother!” She cried out. 

 

“I’m dead if I don’t bring this back.”

 

“Can I just take it to my ship and scan it real fast, then I can make my own.” 

 

“How do I know you won’t steal it?” 

 

“I won’t, I promise.” 

 

“The word a girl. I just met means nothing to me, but maybe if you could give me some collateral.” 

 

Pidge had no idea what this girl wanted, it's not like she could bring her on the ship, not after the Nyma incident, but then she noticed her armor. It was familiar.

 

“Your armor.. are you?” 

 

The Galran grabbed Pidge’s arm and pulled her out of the marketplace. 

 

“Ow! What the hell?” 

 

“Are you a paladin? Of Voltron? Never mind, I know who you are.” 

 

Pidge really regretted not bringing her Bayard. “And what if I am?” 

 

“You recognized my armor didn’t you?” 

 

“Yeah, it looks like Blade of..” 

 

She covered her mouth again. “Don’t say it out loud. You’ll get both of us in a heap of trouble.” 

 

“Ok, well I still need the part.” 

 

“To find your brother?” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Very well, I’ll let you scan it, however, I’ll need something first?”

 

“What?”

 

“A kiss perhaps?” She tapped on her cheek expectantly. 

 

“Uh..” Pidge was frozen, was she flirting with her? She still couldn’t trust her, what if she stole the armor from a real member? But was she really flirting with her? 

 

“I’m teasing, let’s go to your ship.” 

 

“Yeah, ok.” She made her way back through the crowd and stopped at the entrance to the marketplace. “Can I see the bulb?” 

 

“Why of course.” She winked. 

 

“What is happening.” She thought to herself running back to the ship. She lay it carefully on the scanner and let it do its thing. It was then 3D rendered and she could print it off herself. She rushed back to the entrance to see her waiting for her there. 

 

“I was worried you weren’t coming back.” 

 

“I stay true to my word. I said I was going to bring it back so I did.” 

 

The Galra girl took the bulb back and gave Pidge a kiss on the cheek. “My name is Anna, by the way, I do hope I see you again.” 

 

Pidge held her cheek and watched as Anna disappeared into the crowd. 

 

“What the Quiznak?”

 

***

Hunk and Shiro made their way through the crowd. 

 

“So, what do you need again?” Shiro asked. 

 

“I’m going to try and see if I can make a garden. If not, we’ll need lots of herbs and hopefully some meats, some stuff to make a sauce out of, like space cream.” 

 

“It looks like all the cooking stuff is over there.” Shiro pointed towards what looked like a farmers market. 

 

“The air smells like nachos. We found the nacho planet, where’s Lance?” 

 

“He’s looking for a new outfit with Keith.” 

 

“Are they official now?”

 

“Probably. But let’s not push to find out. They’ll tell us when they’re ready.” 

 

“Wise words from a wise dad.” 

 

“What? I’m not a dad? Hunk, I’m in my twenties.” 

 

“I don’t make the facts Shiro.” 

 

“Hunk, I’m not..” 

 

“Look some starters!”

 

***

 

“How about this one?” Lance said walking out of the fitting room. He had on some sort of kimono on. It has tight sleeves, but also bright blue fabric, with thousands of different sized triangles scattering the cloth in clumps, with a cloth wrapped around his waist and tied behind him. 

 

“It’s cool,” Keith said barely looking up. 

 

“That’s what you said about the last one.” 

 

“Look, this is what the eleventh one you’ve tried on. I want to go back to the castle. It’s my turn to feed Pepper. ” 

 

Lance grabbed his arm and pulled him into the changing room. It was a tent with a variety of hooks and a bench. Lance pushed him onto the bench. 

 

“Uh, Lance?” 

 

“I’m leaving it up to you, which one should I get?” He rested his palms on Keith’s knees and stared straight into his eyes. 

 

“Lance, we’re in public,” Keith whispered. 

 

“We’re not doing anything wrong,” Lance teased. He kissed the tip of his nose and replied. “So, which one?”

 

“That one, can we go now?”

 

“Oh, but I have to take it off.” 

 

Keith hated nothing more than getting a boner in public, and his boyfriend was exploiting that fear.

 

How cruel.

 

"You can take it off yourself, you don't need my help."

 

"Fine." Lance untied the wrap and then slowly untied the robe.

 

"Lance we're in public." He reminded him staring at his boyfriend bare chest. That's when he noticed how thin he was. You could see all his ribs.

 

Lance dropped the robe revealing nothing underneath.

 

Up it goes. 

 

"Lance why aren't you wearing any underwear!" He whispered.

 

"Lotor has it."

 

"Then let's buy some more just put something on!" 

 

Lance laughed and kissed his cheek. "I'll stop teasing.” 

 

Suddenly he dropped down square on Keith's halfy.

 

"You said you were gonna stop!" 

 

"Sorry, I'm really dizzy." 

 

"Here, I'll help you put your clothes back on." 

 

Keith eased him back into his Altean casual wear and folded the space kimono neatly. 

 

"Man I wonder why I'm so dizzy."

 

"You've barely eaten since you've been back."

 

"Food goo is disgusting, I'd rather not eat than eat food goo." 

 

"Hunk's picking up some supplies, then you won't have to eat food goo anymore." 

 

"I'll have to thank Hunk later." Lance stood up and wobbled a little bit but stayed upright. 

 

"Can you do something for me real fast?" Lance asked biting his lip.

 

"What is it?" 

 

"Kiss me."

 

Lance was going to kill him with this shit.

 

"Sure." Keith leaned forward and gave a soft peck before retracting backward. "Where's all this coming from." 

 

"Lotor was really rough with me, I want someone to be soft with."

 

Keith wrapped his arm around his waist, "that's all you have to say." He brought him into another kiss, he gently inserted his tongue inside leading to a moan from Lance. He gave another peck and then pulled backward. 

 

"Why'd you stop?" Lance asked softly.

 

"Lance you're going to give me a boner in public. I'm not into doing stuff in public." 

 

Lance laughed. "Ok, let's go back to the castle."

 

They paid for the clothes together and had 200 gak left. Lance spotted an ice cream truck, and after a little bit of begging, they spend the remainder gak on ice cream. Keith felt a heat in his chest as he saw Lance humming to himself while eating the strange colored treat. 

 

"Hey, Lance?" 

 

"Hm?" 

 

"I love you," He whispered in his ear.

 

Lance blushed all the way to his ears. "Where did that come from?" 

 

"I like it when you hum." 

 

Lance leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you too." 

 

Now Keith wasn't one for PDA but that struck a chord. He grabbed Lance's chin and pulled him into a sudden kiss. Lance almost dropped his ice cream. He rested one of his hands on Keith's chest the other hand didn't know where to go, so it lay stiff off to the side as Keith wrapped his arms around him further. 

 

"Keith," Lance moaned. The crowd stared confused, a few of them made a snide remark about teenagers. Keith then remembered where he was and released Lance, embarrassed by the sudden act.

 

"Storing that away in the logbook," Lance teased eating the melting ice cream. 

 

"What?"

 

"How to set you off." 

 

"I don't like getting boners in public, Lance." Keith chuckled. This time however it was all his fault.

 

"Is that Hunk?” Lance asked licking what's left of the ice cream from his hand. 

 

They spotted his head above the crowd. He was pretty easy to spot, especially with his brightly colored headband. 

 

"Hey, Hunk!!!" Lance shouted.

 

Hunk looked over and tried to wave but his hands were full.

 

"Whatcha got there?" Lance asked.

 

"I got all the supplies to start a garden, I have some tomatoes? Maybe? Some herbs and some kind of squash. Then I also got tons of cream to make sauces from."

 

Lance's mouth had already started watering. "Thank you, Hunk." He gave him a cautious hug trying not to knock anything over. 

 

"Let's go back home," Shiro said appearing from behind hunk carrying so many bags and boxes you could barely see his face.

 

***

"LANCE," Pidge screamed upon him entering.

 

"Yeah, what's up?" 

 

"A girl flirted with me!" She tugged at Lance's arm leading him away from the rest of the team.

 

"What?! Ohohohooh," Lance lightly punched her arm and chuckled. "Look at you!"

 

"She was a Blade of Marmora member!" 

 

"Oh, so we could actually see her again!" 

 

She brushed her hair with her hand. "Gotta be cool."

 

"You're always cool."

 

"Thank you!"

 

"Team go ahead and get your stuff settled. We’re going to have another meeting with Blade of Marmora today." Shiro said sternly. 

 

"Quiznak" Pidge mumbled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS  
> **  
> \---  
> ****  
> _____
> 
> ****  
> \---  
> **  
> Last chance to look away 
> 
> “My love.” A sultry voice spoke. 
> 
> “Lotor?” Lance managed to look behind him. There he stood, his Galran suit, just as tall as he remembered. His body was screaming to get away, but also to come closer. 
> 
> “You came for me?” 
> 
> “I will always come for you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team spends some time on the beach for a tech trade. Lance can't seem to get the past out of his head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for Lance to start to get better? 
> 
> Then next chapter you're in for a delightful surprise. 
> 
> But this chapter the angst still remains.

 

“Why are you hiding? Go talk to her.” Lance nudged Pidge towards the strange Galran girl. 

 

Anna leaned against the wall, relaxed, probably a little bored. She looked over at Pidge and grinned. That cocky bitch had all the power. 

 

Pidge looked away, red to her ears. 

 

“What do I say?”

 

“How about hello?”

 

“She has an undercut Lance! She’s too cool for me.”

 

“Is this a bad time to mention Galra have super sharp senses of hearing?”

 

“How sharp.”

 

Lance looked over at her to see Anna chuckling. 

 

“Dig a hole and bury me, Lance.” 

 

***

 

“Now that that meeting is finished, we need to head over to the next star system to gather some supplies. Good news Lance, there’s a beach on a planet we’re visiting!”

 

Lance’s face sank, surprising absolutely everyone. “Oh, really? Awesome, I haven’t been to a beach since I lived in Cuba.” 

 

Everyone concluded his lack of energy was homesickness and wrote it off. Keith however, knew something was up. 

 

“I won’t be using a wormhole for a few quintets as the planet needs time to prepare our technology we’re gathering. Now would be a great time to relax.”

 

“I’ll cook you up something good, Lance!” Hunk cheered making his way to the kitchen. 

 

Lance grabbed Keith’s arm and whispered in his ear. “Let’s go to the bedroom and I’ll cook you up something good.”

 

Keith blushed but followed him eagerly. 

 

Once the door was shut they were all over each other. Keith was cupping Lance’s face, leaving a series of short kisses all over his cheeks, lips, and forehead. Lance giggled and initiated a hotter kiss, tongues intermingling playfully, breaths mixing, hearts bonding. 

 

Lance pushed Keith onto the bed and pulled off his shirt eager for more. 

 

_ My pet, so well behaved. _

 

Lance paused. He shook his head and planted himself on Keith’s lap. 

 

“I’m gonna make you feel good,” Lance whispered. He grinned feeling Keith’s erection. 

 

_ Why are you crying? Don’t pretend you don’t want this. _

 

“Lance, what’s wrong?” Keith sat up and grabbed Lance’s hands. 

 

Lance felt tears slipping from his eyes, but had no control. He pulled his hands to his face and sobbed. 

 

Keith wrapped his arms around him, understanding completely. “Shhh it’s ok, you’re here with me.” 

 

They lay down, Keith’s arms wrapped around his stomach.

 

“I want.. I want to be big spoon.” Lance sobbed. 

 

“Oh, ok.” Keith flipped over and felt Lance wrap his arms around him, and bury his face in his neckline. “Do you want to talk?”

 

“Not tonight... sorry if you’re disappointed.”

 

“Never, I would never say that... I don’t know what you’re going through, but I’m here Lance. I’m here.”

 

Lance sniffed and buried his face in Keith’s nape. Smelled like home. 

 

***

 

Everyone was really tiptoeing around Lance as they made their way to the beach planet. 

 

“Lance, why don’t you relax at the beach? We can handle the trade.” Shiro said patting his back. They were all in their paladin armor and carrying lots of old equipment. 

 

“I can help.” Lance frowned. 

 

“You don’t like technology?” Pidge questioned. “This would just go over your head, you’re the people guy, I’m the technology guy...girl...whatever.” 

 

“Fair enough, see you all later.” 

 

“I can stay with you if you want.” Keith nudged his shoulder. 

 

“It’s fine, I need some time alone.”

 

“Call us if you need something,” Shiro said smiling. 

  
  


***

 

Lance gazed at the sun. Usually, beaches make him so happy, but now? It just reminds him of Lotor, his sharp nails, his bad breath, his firm grip on his waist. 

 

He hated him, and he loved him. 

 

He wished Pepper was with him. 

 

He flopped on his back when suddenly he tried to stretch his leg out, but his legs wouldn’t move. 

 

He grabbed his helmet and shouted into it. “GUYS I CAN’T MOVE MY LEGS!!!” 

 

“What?!” Keith replied. 

 

“I..I don’t know! All the sudden I-” 

 

“My love.” A sultry voice spoke. 

 

“Lotor?” Lance managed to look behind him. There he stood, his Galran suit, just as tall as he remembered. His body was screaming to get away, but also to come closer. 

 

“You came for me?” 

 

“I will always come for you.”

 

Lotor kneeled down and picked Lance up princess style. Lance tried to push him away, but only for a moment. He gave up and let his arms dangle, somehow he knew it would be this way. He hoped Keith wouldn’t be too lonely without him. 

 

Lance stared at the beach as they made their way to Lotor’s ship. 

 

He took a deep breath, he smelled like a campfire, just like he remembered. His time with him felt so long ago, but in reality, it had only been a few months. 

 

“You are too thin, have you not been eating?”

 

“Not until recently.”

 

“Why don’t I make you a nice big pot of soup, with some warm cream.”

 

Lance nodded. 

 

Surprising them both, a dagger went clear into Lotor’s shoulder. He ripped it out and threw it on the ground. 

 

“Don't you fucking dare,” Keith spat. 

 

The rest of the team ran forward, armed, and furious. 

 

“No! Don’t hurt them!” Lance cried out. 

 

“I won’t, but you’re coming with me.”

 

Lance nodded, wrapping his arms around his neck. Lotor walked backward, using Lance as a shield. 

 

Lance had an uncontrollable urge to smile. 

 

_ I deserve Lotor. I deserve this kind of love. _

 

The team ran to their ships in an attempt to stop him from the air. But with Lance as a hostage? They couldn’t attack. They could only watch him warp away. 

 

“Let’s get you out of those awful clothes.” Lotor peeled off his suit and looked at his body greedily. “You’re all mine, I won’t let them have you.”

 

Lance believed him, he lay lifeless in his arms, welcoming the abyss. 

 

Lotor kissed his neck and chest leaving bite marks everywhere.

 

_ I won’t let him get you.  _

 

_ I love you.  _

 

_ I don’t know what you’re going through but I’m here Lance.  _

 

_ I’m here  _

 

Tears streamed down Lance’s face; he had to get out of there. 

  
  


****

 

Lance refused to let Lotor have him. His ass belonged to Keith, and Keith alone. There must be a way out of here. 

 

Lotor had taken Lance’s suit off and given him his robe to wear. He then took off his armor to reveal his gushing wound. 

 

“Let me bandage you!” Lance faked a look of concern. 

 

Lotor looked pleased. “Very well, the bandages are in the top drawer on the left.” He pressed a button on his remote and Lance could move again. “I’m sorry, I had to put that tracker in you. I refused to let us be apart.” 

 

Lance ignored the ache in his heart and retrieved the bandages. He hadn’t done this in a while, but he crisscrossed the bandages as he was taught in his CPR class. “There, all done.” Lance’s hand rested on his back. Part of him was pretending, the other half genuinely cared about Lotor. 

 

Lotor looked back, a fondness in his eyes. Lance bit his tongue. “Where’s Pepper?” Lotor asked. 

 

“Back at the castle.”

 

“Maybe I can get someone to retrieve her.”

 

_ A chance.  _

 

“That would be nice, I miss her.” 

 

Lance kissed Lotor, briefly. Lotor looked startled but happy. “I knew coming back for you was the right decision.”

 

“I’m glad you did.” It somehow didn’t feel like a lie. 

 

Lotor cupped his cheek bringing him into a long steamy kiss. He slipped his tongue inside, Lance tried not to cringe. Lotor hummed and pulled off Lance’s robe. 

 

As he was stripped, he thought desperately for a plan. He stood in front of Lotor, his robe and armor in a pile next to him. Lotor wrapped his arm around his waist, just as firm as he remembered it. So strong, he feared he would never escape his grasp. 

 

Lotor pushed the two of them closer. Lance closed his eyes trying to devise a plan. His breath got shallow as Lotor reached to his lower back and proceeded to go lower. 

 

“I'm dirty!” Lance basically screamed. 

 

“What?” Lotor released him. 

 

“I...uh...went swimming, I don’t smell good, I should go shower.”

 

“Very well. I can’t get my wound wet, so go along without me.” 

 

Lance looked around as we walked to the shower. He saw a potted plant by the bed, he knew what to do. 

 

***

 

Lotor was sitting at his desk working when Lance called out, “Lotor, darling.” 

 

“Lance?” Lotor spun around in his chair to see Lance, wearing nothing but his rope off his shoulders, standing seductively by the door. 

 

“I knew you would change your mind.” He stripped off the rest of his armor revealing Lance’s careful bandages. 

 

Lance swallowed the lump in his throat and led him to the bedroom. Lotor grinned and pushed him onto the bed. Lotor climbed over him, leaving bites along his stomach and collarbones. He pinned Lance’s arms above him. 

 

_ Shit! _

 

Lance had to get him to let go, or he couldn't smash the pot against his head. He struggled to get free and failed. 

 

“Let me...let go of my hands, I want to touch you.” Lance lied. 

 

Lotor smiled warmly and released his hands. Lance immediately took the opportunity and smashed the pot against the back of his head. 

 

Lotor collapsed on top of Lance, unconscious. 

 

_ Time to go time to go time to go. _

 

Lance grabbed the remote that controlled him, slipped on his robe, and made a break for the escape pod. 

 

He made it in and he slammed the button sending him off into space. 

 

_ Blue!! I need you!! _

 

He paced around the pod until the blue lion burst from a wormhole. A single tear fell from his eye. 

 

The castle followed soon after. The Red Lion snatched his pod out of the air. 

 

Keith broke down the door and cradled Lance in his arms. 

 

“I’m... I’m so sorry.” He started to cry 

 

Now Lance had never seen Keith cry, not once. So this really shook his core. 

 

“Keith..” He rested his arm on his back. “I’m ok.”

 

“What did he do to you.” Keith looked at Lance with determined eyes. 

 

“Nothing.” 

 

“Don’t lie to me.” Keith brushed his hickeys with his fingers. 

 

“I knocked him out with a plant before he did anything serious.” 

 

Keith chuckled. “Of course you did.” 

 

“Oh, by the way, there’s a device in my neck that is a tracker and can be used to paralyze me.” 

 

“WHAT.” 

 

“Pidge might want to take a look at that.”

 

****

 

“It looks about the size of a tick, why don’t I just pull it off?” Pidge said, scanning the device on Lance’s neck. He lay on his stomach on the operating table. 

 

“No! Pidge this shit is attached to my spine! If you fuck up I’m paralyzed... Or dead.”

 

“No pressure then. I need a laser, and as big a magnifying glass as you have.”

 

“Do I have to be conscious for this?” Lance wined. 

 

“Yes, we need to know if we’re doing something wrong, Coran! Magnifying glass!”

 

“Yes Ma’am!” Coran handed her a huge magnifying glass. 

 

“Hunk, hold this steady for me.” She handed Hunk the glass and slapped on some surgical gloves. 

 

“Try not to flinch, this will be over soon.” She sliced under the tracker quickly. 

 

“OW.” Lance squeezed Keith’s hand in agony. 

 

“Stay still.” Pidge continued to slice at the tracker. “Wiggle your toes.” 

 

Lance did as he was told. He may be in pain, but he still had feeling in his feet. 

 

“Almost done Lance.” Pidge wiped sweat from her brow with her wrist. 

 

Lance pressed his face into the table, sweat beading on his forehead. Keith held his hand firmly. 

 

“Done!” Pidge pulled the tracker off and stuck it in a test tube. “Let’s launch this shit in space, good luck finding us now loturd.”

 

“I’m... going to bed.” Lance wobbled as he stood up slowly. 

 

Keith caught him as he started to fall over. 

 

“I think you guys need a vacation,” Shiro sighed. 

 

“I agree.” Lance groaned. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter Keith and Lance go on a winter vacation. 
> 
> Smut ensues. But so does fluff and healing!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith make a trip to a winter planet for a vacation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of this is a sex chapter. A happy sexperience that Lance and Keith desperately need. If you don't want to see the sex scene there are ~~ before and after
> 
> But why would you be reading this if you didn't want to see a sex scene?

“I thought he was kidding,” Lance whispered in Keith’s ear. 

 

“See you in a week!” Shiro called out as they entered the Red Lion. 

 

Keith and Lance were wearing heavy coats and carrying a suitcase with provisions in it and a pet carrier. Shiro had found a planet they had saved recently and sent Lance and Keith there to keep Lance out of sight while they decided what to do with Lotor. 

 

Lance set next to the chair as Keith guided them to the frosty planet. 

 

“This could be fun?” Keith said unsurely. 

 

“Or we could freeze to death.” 

 

“Cheer up, I hear this planet likes musicals.”

 

“I love musicals!”

 

“Yeah, it’ll be like watching a yeti perform the Sound of Music.”

 

“I’m excited already,” Lance said, just a little sarcastic. 

 

***

 

“Please get comfortable in your quarters, we are having a musical performance in your honor in four Vargas. You are more than welcome to join us!”  A tall man with grey fur all over his body, wearing a large coat, and a soft voice welcomed them to a cabin. 

 

It was a fairly small cabin, there was a living room with a kitchen attached, one bathroom, and one bedroom. He apologized for the single bedroom but apparently, that’s what Shiro requested. Keith already thanked him before they left. 

 

“We’ll come, thank you. What was your name?” Keith asked. 

 

“Percival,”  

 

“Well thank you, Percival, we’ll see you at the performance.”

 

“You are very welcome paladins, anything for the saviors of all galaxies.” He bowed before leaving. 

 

“Did you hear that Keith? Saviour, Me.” Lance took Pepper out of her pet carrier and let her into the room.

 

“Don’t let it get to your head, a musical sounds nice though.”

 

“Yeah, I can’t remember the last time I went to a musical.” Lance pulled out a tiny panda sweater and pulled it over Pepper’s head, despite her complaints. 

 

“Did you have to bring the cat?” Keith headed to the bedroom to unpack. “She doesn’t look like she’s enjoying the cold.”

 

“She’s not ‘the cat’ she’s Pepper.” Lance crossed his arms. 

 

“I meant, Pepper looks cold. I don’t think she was meant for this climate.”

 

“She has a sweater, she’ll be fine.” Lance’s forehead un-creased slightly. 

 

Keith came back from the bedroom and kissed his forehead. “Why don’t I start a fire?”

 

***

 

“This musical is taking forever!” Lance whispered in Keith’s ear.

 

“Shh, I’m sure it’s almost over,” Keith whispered back. 

 

Pepper was curled in front of the fire at the cabin, and Lance was rather jealous. This was act fourteen. Fourteen! Each act was ten minutes to half an hour. Lance was bad at math so he didn’t even try to figure out how long they had been there. But DAMN. Aren’t they tired yet?

 

Plus its cold. Very cold. The people of this planet are covered in fur, yet they still need coats. Lance was hanging onto Keith’s arm shivering, awaiting the sweet sweet fire at home. 

 

_ Home? _

 

Lance was confused as to why this cabin they got to today, was registering as home to him. He looked to his side. 

 

_ Keith maybe? _

 

Everywhere with Keith felt like home, it really did. He brushed his cold cheek against Keith’s shoulder. Keith looked over and whispered. “Everything ok?” 

 

Lance nodded, staying snuggled up to Keith. He brushed Lance’s cheek with his glove, before relaxing to finish the rest of the show. 

 

_ Darling, you’ll catch a cold out here. _

 

Lance scowled. 

 

_ You don’t need them anymore, they abandoned you. _

 

“No one abandoned me...” He whispered. 

 

Keith looked over to see Lance sunken in his chair. “Time to go?” He whispered. 

 

“I can stay until it’s over.” 

 

“It’s ok if you can’t.”

 

“It should be over soon.”

 

****

 

“We’re having an after-party with the actors and directors, would you care to join us?” Percival asked. 

 

“I think it’s time for us to get back, I’m getting pretty tired,” Keith said covering for Lance. 

 

“Oh! Very well, we will have dinner in two quintets, the whole town is coming!” 

 

Lance smiled weakly. 

 

“We’ll see,” Keith said wrapping his arm around Lance and leaving. 

 

They walked in silence. Lance, however, didn’t shake his arm like Keith thought he was going to. Their feet crunched on the newly fallen snow. Keith lowered his arm to see the reaction. Lance stopped walking and looked at the two moons high in the sky. 

 

“Thanks for coming with me, I don’t want to be alone.” 

 

“Of course Lance, you know I’m here for you don’t you?” 

 

“I’m worried.”

 

“That?”

 

“I’m worried that he’ll be able to find me, no matter where I am.” 

 

“We took the tracker out.” Keith moved in front of him and looked into his eyes. 

 

“He knows magic, maybe he’ll find another way.” 

 

“Then I am never leaving your side.” 

 

Lance laughed, “That sounds an awful lot like a marriage proposal.” 

 

“Maybe it is?” 

 

Lance stopped laughing. His cheeks warmed up, despite the cold. “Give me a little bit, for your answer.”

 

“I’ll always wait for you.” Keith kissed his cheek and they continued their walk to the cabin. 

 

****

 

“Pepper?” Lance called out as they entered the cabin. 

 

She lay in front of the fire and looked at him peeved before walking back into her pet carrier. 

 

“Guess she was sleeping.” Lance peeled off his coat leaving behind the new kimono they bought together and his leggings. 

 

Keith took off his jacket as well, hanging it on one of the many assortments of hooks displayed by the door. He looked again at his boyfriend. He still seemed down, it was becoming rare to see him happy. 

 

Keith needed to fix that. 

 

Keith walked over as Lance opened the refrigerator. 

 

“Looks like they left us some food, are you hungry?” 

 

Keith wrapped his arms around him tightly. Lance froze, gasping slightly at the contact. 

 

“Tell me what to do; tell me how I can help you.” 

 

Lance smiled, “you’re already helping.” 

 

“I want to help more.” 

 

Lance took a deep breath, in and out, and kissed him. “I need to have sex with you.” 

 

“Uh, are you sure?” 

 

“Yes, right now.” 

 

“But..” 

 

“You don’t want to?”

 

“Of course I want to but.. But.”

 

Lance crossed his arms. “Say it.” 

 

“I don’t think you’re ready.” 

 

“I will never be ready, I  _ need _ to make new memories. I  _ need _ to be with you,  **not** him.” 

 

“You’re sure?” 

 

“Positive, now kiss me.” 

 

~~~

 

“It’s too cold to be naked,” Keith said as Lance disrobed. 

 

“Then let's go by the fire.” 

 

“You’re sure?” 

 

“Stop being such a gentleman, we’ve done this before.” 

 

“But..” 

 

Lance planted a kiss on Keith’s mouth, hungry and wet. He lay on the ground by the fire with open arms. 

 

Keith shook his head and grinned before lavishing his stomach with kisses. He felt Lance tense up and he looked up to see his eyes closed. 

 

“Look at me,” Keith said raspberrying his stomach. 

 

Lance giggled, relaxing again. 

 

_ Why are you crying? Don’t pretend you don’t want this. _

 

Keith felt him tense up again and brushed his cheek with his hand. “You’re with me, not him.” 

 

Lance nodded, a tear welling in his eye. 

 

Keith ignored the voice telling him Lance wasn’t ready and listened to the voice saying this is the way to heal him. He gave Lance a stroke. He had goosebumps along his legs and he let out a soft moan. He gave a single lick and grinned as he rose to attention. 

 

_ This is good.  _

 

Lance arched his back in Keith’s willing hand. 

 

Now Keith, until this point, had only been the receiver of blowjobs. In his defense, Lance gave a great blowjob and laughed at Keith when he almost hurled after choking on Lance. That ruined the mood for the night. 

 

Anyways, Keith was bad at blowjobs, yet here he was, about to give one. 

 

He didn't go very far down, but the way Lance was grabbing his hair meant he must be doing at least decent. 

 

Right?

 

He bobbed up and down, drool sliding down his chin. He felt Lance grip his hair harder and pulled back right before he got a facial. 

 

He grabbed some nearby tissues and cleaned up his stomach. 

 

“All done?” Keith asked cautiously. 

 

“Not until you’re satisfied.” 

 

“I’m satisfied.” 

 

“Your boner begs to differ.” 

 

_ Shit. _

 

“Keith, please... I need this, I need you.” 

 

Keith brought him into a kiss. Lance was somehow not disgusted at the taste of his own come like Keith usually is because he was diving in deep. 

 

Keith wrapped him in a hug so happy they were together again, which for so long, he feared would never be the case. 

 

He reached below and felt Lance jump. 

 

_ Don’t pretend you don’t want this. _

 

He relaxed in Keith’s arms after a little kissing on his neck. Keith was still very unsure if this was a good thing, but whatever it takes. 

 

Lance dropped himself on Keith’s lap, the fire illuminating his body beautifully. “Take me, I want this,” He whispered. 

 

It was then that a giant weight dropped from Lance’s shoulders. He was so happy in Keith’s arms, he felt so safe, so loved. It will never be like it used to be, but maybe... maybe this was enough. 

 

Keith had brought some olive oil from the kitchen because he could never would have dreamed he would be like this with Lance. Definitely not tonight. 

 

He stuck a few fingers inside. Lance was plenty loose. He continued fingering him just in case. 

 

Lance moaned loudly, writhing around on Keith’s fingers. “Enough... please.” 

 

Keith kissed Lance’s shoulder. He felt the urge to bite, but he knew better than to bite him. After seeing all the marks Lotor made, he would never bite him again. 

 

He eased his way inside, holding Lance as close to himself as possible. They both gasped as he made his way to the hilt. 

 

“You can...move.” Lance breathed. 

 

Keith moved ever so slowly, Lance let out breathy moans. 

 

“How are you..” 

 

“Go faster.” 

 

Keith shook his head. He was going to kill him with this shit. He gyrated his hips, still slowly, to Lance’s dismay. 

 

After being told twice by Lance, increasing in attitude, to “hurry up, mullet, I’m fine,” Keith quickened the pace. 

 

Lance fell on his back and gripped the carpet with his hands. 

 

He was close, they both were. 

 

Keith crawled in front of him and grabbed both of his hands in his. 

 

“Fuck Lance, I love you, I love you so much.”

 

“I love... you too” Lance squeezed his hand back. 

 

Keith came inside despite the agreement not to, due to a lack of condoms. They sure as hell weren’t going to ask for one. Do yeti people wear condoms? 

 

Keith started a bath and they both cozied up inside it. 

 

Keith sat on the bottom and Lance in his lap. Keith’s hand rested on the edge of the tub, Lance on his belly, and the other holding hands. 

 

“How do you feel?”

 

“Good... wow, it’s been so long since I’ve felt this good.”

 

Keith nuzzled in his neck. “Glad I could help.” 

 

Lance pulled Keith into another kiss. “Maybe living with you forever would be good too.” 

 

“This means?” 

 

“Yup. I say yes to your ‘marriage proposal.’”

 

Keith kissed Lance’s neck again. They snuggled until the water cooled off, then they put on their pajamas, grabbed Pepper, and snuggled into bed together; nice and warm under the layers of blanket and fur. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! My boys are getting married!
> 
> This was originally going to be longer but I think I'll finish up in a few chapters and maybe do a sequel later. The next two chapters are almost done, so be looking forward to that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Please leave a comment if you liked it, have an idea for me, or have a way for me to improve my writing. 
> 
> Thanks again!


End file.
